Opponent
by Sophye
Summary: An Old enemy from tales long forgotten resurfaces and threatens Erika's life. Solomon comes to her rescue, but seems to fall short. Will the witty human loved by a vampire die? Or will Nolan get his butt kicked by Solomon? Read and find out.RatedT-violenc
1. Chapter 1

He held a fistful of my hair and pulled it back so my neck was bared.

"Ahh…." He breathed against my skin, putrid breath fanning across it. "The sweet blood f my loved Patricia. You look just like her, you know?"

A low yet menacing growl emerged from across the room. I struggled to look over to him, yet part of me wished that what I was about to see wasn't true.

Solomon was tied to a chair. Amazingly it held him still and the faint smell of burning sizzled around him. The chains must have opal incrusted into them, I grimly realized. He was growling at my captor even though his own hair and face were spotted and drenched with blood. There were rips and tears in his shirt, and where I could see his skin I saw bruises and gashes so deep a regular human would be dead by this point.

A sickening snap brought me back to reality and a second later blinding pain made me scream. My action gained a chuckle from the evil vampire pulling at what had been my arm—now broken in two. A snarl was accompanied by chains rattling as Solomon attempted to break free only to have his shoulders, wrists and ankles thoroughly burned.

I attempted a smile directed at Solomon which made him frown and thrash about again. My arm hurt so much that I had to fight the black shroud which threatened to send me to the deep sleep of oblivion.

"Now now," he chided, "We can't have you falling asleep, my little Erika." The vampire proceeded to pull at my other shoulder, effectively snapping it out of place.

I screamed even louder and poor Solomon tried to break free yet again. But, like before, he failed. The effects of the birthstone on him were like scalding water thrown upon your bare arm.

"What did we ever do to you?" I spat out and glowered at the vampire who was now pulling my hair again.

He laughed a hollow sound with no humor to it and whispered in my ear. "My dear, it was the wench of a great-grandmother you have that managed to get away from me. She had the sweetest blood, even sweeter than a witches' own. Not one woman had even been able to deny me, not one but her. And now, after I have killed you, I'll be done with my revenge." He let go of my hair and I fell to the floor, biting my lip to hold back a shriek as I fell on my broken arm. I could now see the bone that splintered out of my arm.

Holding back the urge to vomit, I looked up to where my mother laid next to my sister, no blood or bruises on them. They were laid out on my bed so that it would seem they were merely sleeping. But I knew the truth. I comforted myself with the fact that he hadn't tortured them. I glanced back at Solomon and met his worried gaze. Even when he was tied to the computer chair with the heavy chains he looked strong—stronger than I was anyways. I crawled over to him and he kept his gaze on our enemy as he whispered instructions to me.

After much difficulty I undid the chains that held him back.

He kissed my forehead lightly, as I had I bruise on there too, and then turned to the opposing vampire. He glowered at him while I leaned against the wall. I watched, not even attempting to make my eyes keep up with their movements as Solomon leaped at him and they went through the wall.

I gasped and a pair of tears came to my eyes when after a brief moment, the hostile vampire held Solomon's neck in between his stony fingers and walked back into the room.

"Solomon…" I croaked and realized that my throat hurt, something I hadn't previously realized due to the pain that shot up my arms. He struggled against the iron grip as the other vampire laughed, the horrid sound chilling me to my bones.

"I came in for revenge and even got a Van Kendrick to kill." He looked at Solomon with his poisonous red eyes and Solomon growled, holding his gaze without a trace of fear. "I wonder if it's true..." he mused, "that drinking one of the true Van Kendrick's blood will bring forth unknown powers."

His lip curled back over his fangs and I feebly stood up. "No, don't hurt him! You came for me, right? Then just take my blood and get it over with." I hoarsely exclaimed, earning a furious stare from Solomon and an interested gaze from his opponent. Solomon took this opportunity to punch him and he crashed back through the wall.

Solomon chased after him and I collapsed back onto the ground. For some reason, the tears wouldn't come. Only one flowed down at the sight of my mother and sister. I must be in shock, I silently mused.

After what seemed to be another hour of grunts and growls, Solomon was thrown back into my room. But there was something horribly wrong, I noticed.

I could only see his silhouette. He was crouched over, his right elbow resting on his right knee and his hand was resting on his left shoulder. He turned away from me, cursed then stood and straightened up. He let his arm fall to his side and I gasped when I saw he didn't have his left arm anymore.

Suppressing a scream as I noticed that all of his face was covered in blood I glanced back at the enemy. "Just who the hell are you?" I hissed the words, the acid in them surprising even me. Although we were on two opposing sides of the room, I could feel the embracing presence of Solomon next to me and that gave me the courage. I glanced back at Solomon and saw fire in his clear emerald eyes. I knew we'd get through this.

"His name is Nolan Molotov." A voice announced and the vampire, apparently named Nolan, gasped. The voice was familiar but I was too tired to try and recognize it. Solomon came closer to me as two shadows came from my window and approached Nolan. They enveloped him and the shorter of the two threw him out the window.

The two shared a quick conversation, and even though it appeared to be almost-joking, I could still hear the anger in the deeper voice of the two. Silently, I shuddered.

Solomon kneeled next to me and quietly wrapped his arm around me. I don't know what was going to happen now, but at least he's next to me. I sobbed and wrapped my arms around him.

"Solomon You can still walk, right?" The tall shadow turned out to be James Van Kendrick, Solomon's father. He approached us but paused momentarily since I winced. I didn't mean to do that but I couldn't help it, he seemed so much like Nolan in the dark. Solomon tightened his grip around my shoulders and nodded up at his father.

"Yes, I'll take her home." He replied and stood up with me cradled in his arm; Solomon then jumped out the window and extended his wings, flying up above the clouds.

A small recap of the last few hours might be in order; since I absolutely can't remember the flight to Solomon's house. In less than two hours I had a perfect night out with Solomon, Enjoyed a flight home in his arms; and lost my mother and sister. Overall it has been the worst day of my life.

When we arrived at his house, Jacqueline was waiting for us. For the first time ever she didn't say anything bad or insulting to Solomon.

"It's okay, you can let go now," Solomon softly whispered and I realized with a sort of detachment that I held an iron grip on his shirt. Slowly, and almost reluctantly, I let go and Solomon passed me into Jacqueline's arms. Shortly after, I found myself in a large bed with Jacqueline and Samantha on either side of me. Mildly, I listened to their conversation. I had a couple of skull fractures, a shoulder out of its socket, a broken arm and other random, less important, injuries.

Slowly, I slipped out of consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

When I awoke, Jake told me that about twelve hours had passed.

She explained how long I was going to need to heal and then asked for any questions. The first thing that came to mind was how Solomon was. After I asked her, Jake sighed." The leech is fine. He healed fast."

I closed my eyes and truly relaxed. Apparently she noticed that, since she pouted. "You know… that's sad. Not even worried about yourself." She joked," A bit on the sadist side, really."

I chuckled darkly and imitated her face. "Oh well," She shrugged and bent over to kiss my forehead. "Just get better, Okay, Erik?"

"Sure, Jacob." I whispered, since I found my throat to hurt too much to form loud words.

She left the room and I broke down. Embarrassingly enough I was in a house filled with a family that had good hearing, thus I tried to keep my sobbing down to a minimum as I looked around the strange room I was in. It was covered in black and navy blue. The bed covers were black, but I noticed that the other side was navy. The walls were painted a dark navy and the curtains were black and drawn over the large window. There was a desk and two doors too. It was very monochromatic in my point of view, gloomy even, but it was soothing to the eye. I visibly relaxed when I noticed that near a desktop sat a picture of Solomon and me. This was his room apparently. While on one level that relaxed me even more, on another it triggered more tears.

Three days went slowly by, occasionally I saw any of the Van Kendricks, and Jacqueline stayed with me 24/7.

When I could move my hands again, mostly due to her magic, we started to knit. She knitted about three scarves in the time I was half-way through my first. That's what I did for about a week; knitted by day and wept at night. I know that I was Jake who kept me from seeing Solomon, but I didn't have enough energy in me to care. Sometimes at night whenever I was about to fall asleep, if you could call it that, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and a whispered goodnight. Then I'd just go into a dull dream, tears in my eyes.

I was honestly getting tired of all this and wanted to go home with a passion. No matter what I saw there. Images of Nolan, my family and Solomon haunted my dreams already; this trip couldn't make my nightmares any worse. I needed to try.

After playing hooky for a few days, saying I didn't feel good kept Jake away, I had a plan ready. It only took four days.

The next morning I took my finished scarf and stuck it under the bed. That would hold my scent in. Thankfully, this room was only on the second floor; I took a running start and then jumped out the window. I counted on my luck too much and the bushes under the window turned out to be a rosebush with no blooms.

I struggled out of it and looked myself over. The cast and jeans, paired with my big t-shirt, kept most of my body intact apart for a large gash in my cheek.

Crap.

Quickly, I wiped it off with my long sleeve and tore it off, burying it next to the bushes. Then I ran into the forest. Once in the shadows I ran even faster, silently thanking Jake for making me join the track team with her.

I jogged until I reached the main street and saw their driveway branch back the way I came. I ran towards the left, knowing that in three miles I'd reach a gas station; there I could call a cab. I got to the gas station but loudly swore as I saw a black 2006 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. I got the whole car fanatic gene from my dad, but it isn't that why I know what make that car is. It's because I've seen it so many times. That car belongs to James Van Kendrick. Aka. Solomon's father.

It pulled in besides me and I groaned audibly.

I considered the possibilities of escaping the oldest living vampire. Not good.

The automatic window on the passenger's side rolled down and I saw a face that painfully reflected Solomon's own. "Good day, Erika. I never thought I'd see you again." He said, sarcasm lacing his every word. I held back the urge to smile and nodded. He paused and opened the door to the passenger's seat, giving me a look that told me to get in.

I plopped down on the seat and crossed my arms, childish, I know, but I did it.

The inside of the car was all black and mahogany leather. Very James-ish, I had to admit.

"Did you enjoy your mad dash at freedom?"

I nodded and kept my eyes on the road.

"Nice try, but if it hadn't been for me you would have been able to escape." He smiled at me, "Do you hate me now?"

Holding back the urge to cry I shook my head. "You look too much like Solomon for me to get mad." I admitted and earned a laugh from him, making me regret it.

"Anyways," I started, loudly so he'd hear me over his laughter."When can I finally leave?"

James stopped laughing and looked at me with sorrow in his eyes. "Right now the CIA is freaking out over the loss of their best agent. Ziam and I have taken care of Nolan, with a lot of help from Raylen. But we've had to recreate evidence which took a while. Then there's the fact that you were publicly involved with Solomon, Which one has made him and I have to go to numerous meetings and press conferences. Then there's your mother's and relative's wills…" he paused and I nodded, urging him to continue. "Regardless to say, we've been busy."

It all slowly sunk in and I was on the verge of tears when we arrived back at his house. Or my personal jail.

I started to get out after he parked to the side and stopped, bringing my leg back in the car and slamming the door shut as another black car veered in at top speed. It then screeched to a halt and the driver shot out, running into the house in a blur of movements I had to guess since he went so fast.

Besides me, James chuckled, "He's frantically searching the house now…" I looked up at james and asked him to elaborate. "Pretty obvious it's Solomon."

"Oh…" I stepped out and thanked him. I looked behind me at the forest and briefly considered sweet escape again.

"No, you don't." James took my arm and led me back into the house. I was quickly dreading this meeting and my hands formed fists.

With white knuckles, tears in my eyes, and a half-bleeding lip from biting it, I saw Solomon for the first time. He was about to run out the door when the sight of his dad and me emerging from it froze him at the end of the stairs. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of me and was looking down at me, his expression unreadable.

He excused himself and took me in his arm. In a second we were sitting on his bed and his door was barricaded. He had sat me down on one end of his bed and he was on the other, watching me with wary eyes.

"Solomon," I muttered his name and spread my arms out, some tears already leaking out. He almost smiled but instead hugged me to him and I cried on his shoulder.

Sure, this wasn't on my 'Being an independent woman' book and list of things to do, but I really couldn't help it.

"It's alright, Erika...We're all here to help you, okay?" he said, softly rubbing my back as my sobs lessened. It was comforting to know that he was still cared about me, even after everything that my life and family had caused him.

"I'm glad that you healed, Solomon." I whispered between sobs.

"Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and repeat what I say, Erika...This, too, shall pass." I couldn't picture his expression, but those words soothed my mind and with those words I drifted off to the first peaceful dream I'd had in what seemed like a decade.

When I awoke, fully rested, his arms were around me and I was under the bed covers. Silently I wrapped my arms around his waist and listened to his heartbeat. He woke up a few minutes later and kissed my head. "Good morning, Erika."

I nodded and more tears fell down my face. I must look like a bloody mess, I though with a grimace.

Solomon started to quote old people, which in previous times I had found mildly interesting and sort of dull, since he enjoyed doing it a lot. But it was always something new, which was something interesting to look forward to each day. A new quote. A brand new day.

"There's this quote by a man named Alphonse de Lamartine, and he said, 'Greif knits two Hearts in closer bonds than happiness ever can; and common sufferings are far stronger links than common joys.'" Solomon said and a sob wracked my body, closely followed by a hiccup.

He hugged me closer and I think I cried for about three more minutes before the sobs stopped. The tears stopped too. I guess I've cried myself dry now.

"Thanks a lot, Solomon. I really appreciate this…" I softly whispered and looked up at him for the first time in a while. His usually clear emerald eyes were darkened to such a shade I would have found them scary if I wasn't used to them.

Solomon looked down at me and smiled a small and melancholy smile. "Please, just feel better; it's horrible seeing you like this." He said soberly. I think I might have gotten lucky, to have such a great guy by my side. He might have a few flaws; He's stubborn and over protective; but that just makes him Solomon.

The weeks went by and I visited my old house at last. I half expected to find my mother and sisters' bodies on the ground, but I had attended their funeral and knew otherwise. Solomon rubbed circles on the other side of my hand and I opened the door, just to find it was squeaky clean. The week afterwards I was in a tight spot. Solomon was inquiring about my assets now that everything had calmed down.

"So… How're you going to take care of your bills and stuff?" Solomon randomly asked while he went fishing for a card, we were playing Go-Fish.

"Well, with the couple of Apartment complexes I have to my name now, that'll send over a steady supply of cash to my account for savings, and then I can live off my salary. Got a three?"

"Nope go fish." He smiled triumphantly as I now had about two dozen cards in my hands, "But wouldn't it be better to keep all that money for yourself and not for your bills?"

I paused. This didn't bode well. "What're you getting at?"

"Nothing Nothing, Do you have a jack?"

"Damnit…" he had cleverly figured out my strongest card matches and I reluctantly handed over the card. "No. Tell me," I urged.

"Meh, don't worry about it, it's nothing."

"It doesn't sound like nothing."

"Well I just asked your opinion. Think about it this way, what if you would be able to save all that money." He countered, "What would that amount to?"

"Well... A lot I guess, a lot I won't need. Ever." I smiled and asked for a five, which he handed over rather regretfully.

"Exactly. That you could pass over to inheritance." He asked for a five back and I handed him his card before I could even put it in my own stack.

"What're you getting at?"

"I'm just asking."

"Why are you asking?"

"Just one of those random questions that just comes to my mind." I eyed him thoughtfully and then asked for a joker, which he handed over.

"Hey-NO WAIT! It was my turn!" he exclaimed and took the card back, "you tricked me Erika, Which was mean."

"Ahh, Just go." I muttered and he asked for a joker, which he knew I had. "Crap."

"Seriously Solomon, Tell me what's in your head. I don't like it when you think and don't share." I paused as he laughed.

"Trust me; you don't want to know what happens in my head. Trust me."

"Why?"

"'Because it's too much."

"How so?"

"Too many thoughts."

"Care to elaborate?"

"I just usually think about one thing and then it reminds me of a past experience and then my mind will just wander." He started to ramble so I took the opportunity to ask him for another card, this time he didn't notice it was his turn.

I paused and put my hand of cards spread on the table. "I win!"

"Wait… How? You—you tricked me again! You cheated, No fair." Solomon glumly put down his own cards.

"Okay, as part of your loss, you better explain what you meant earlier."

He sighed and stared at me. "You little deviant… You tricked me."

"Ah suck it up, sol," I smiled lovingly, and messed with his hair as he frowned.

"Just… Just-No. No." he shook his head at his little nickname. "Don't call me that."

"Okay, then please elaborate."

"Well, I was just saying that wouldn't it be better if you could keep all that money, instead of having to spend it on bills?"

". . . That's the point. No posterity, No family, and an income that will come until the apartment's burn down. Which they won't, by the way, Jake is using magic to protect everything." I explained and sat on his lap, his arms wrapped around me. "So just stop worrying. "

Solomon sighed again and shook his head, "Why can't I pay the bills for you? You could put a good amount of money into something else, like investing it into some more mangas, or maybe a new car..." I stared at him disbelievingly for a second.

"You did not just insult my bug." I recited and he paused.

"Y-Your bug…? No-No-n-No I didn't insult your bug, I just meant if you wanted a new car you could get one, a Ferrari or something fast." He quickly replied.

". . . I'll leave that offer untouched, thank you, I will drive my bug everywhere until the day cars become outlawed or the day I die. Whichever comes first." He smiled at my response and chuckled.

"Or until they make a hover bug."

"… Oh that's a sweet idea!" I quickly thought over the quirks of the new vehicle.

"See? I'm a genius."

His reply made me smile and I pecked him on his cheek, "Yes you are; you dumb genius."

"I am not a dumb genius, just a genius." He indignantly said and I laughed. "How can I be a dumb genius at the same time?"

"Dumb because you insulted my bug. Genius because you're Solomon."

"For the last time I didn't insult your bug, it suits you." He leaned back on the loveseat we were on and I softly shivered as his cold arms brought me closer to him.

"That's the smartest thing you've said." I laughed a bit to myself and met his questioning glance. "I guess wisdom does come with age, Oh old one."

"Hey- No no no no, I am eighteen." He pointed at himself, "just the only thing about it is that I've been frozen in time, for lack of better words-"

I interrupted his little rant, "eh, No wait, Nonetheless, you ARE over seventy, making you a senior citizen."

His eyebrows shot up and he held a piece of his hair, "Excuse me, What color is this?"

"Ah, I see your sight is bad now, of course it comes with the age. That, my dearly old friend, is what we call Hair dye, and it appears you have dyed your white hair, Red." He stared at me and I glanced back with a smile.

"Shut up. I am not old."

"Right."

"I don't have wrinkles or liver spots."

"Sure," I drawled, "from what I can see, you don't."

He stood up off the love seat and set me back down. He turned around so I'd be facing his broad back and shoulders. "Feel free to check, Erika, I don't care. Anything to prove that I am not old."

I eyed his back and smiled, "Tempting as it sounds, Sol, I find that this is a hardly appropriate time and place." I mimicked his voice and accent.

"Fine. We'll go upstairs."

His voice made my eyes go wide. Oh god this is not going the way I planned. I shifted uncomfortably and looked up at him. He surely is kidding, right? God I hope so. "Err… Sorry no thanks, I'll pass on that for now."

He turned back around and smirked, "You don't know what you're missing." He muttered so softly I had to guess some of the words, but the message still got through. God. I can feel the blood rushing to my head, even feeling the dizziness that accompanies it sometimes.

"Heeeh, I made you blush." He leered and poked my forehead.

"Shut up or I will hurt you." I threatened, covering my hands with my face.

"Fine, Try me."

". . . "I paused for a second before deciding on a course of action. Surely one of the spells Jake taught me must work in this situation. I was only a Wiccan, a learned witch, but I could still do some spells.

I muttered an incantation in Latin that summoned the essence of opal in the air. I saw him physically stiffen as the spell took effect and a slight coat of the opal dust covered his body.

"Eeeeew, OH GOD, it got in my MOUTH!" he ran to the kitchen and started to gulp down glass after glass of water, milk, or any liquid he could get his hands on. "Oh god!" I heard him yell. "That was soap!"

I waited for a second for the ultimate result. He came back out of the kitchen, his arms wrapped around his torso. He was clearly in pain. "Solomon?"

He looked at me for a second before muttering a quick farewell and he ran up the stairs. Five seconds later I heard a rather peculiar sound.

"He couldn't be anorexic… could he?" I mused over the thought of an anorexic vampire and couldn't hold back the laughter that erupted from me.

"SHUT UP, ERIKA, IT'S NOT FUNNY!" I heard him yell before resuming his retching, "It hurts…" he said less audibly.

"Sorry! But you dared me." I replied and went up the stairs.

"I didn't dare you! That was… That was cheating… I didn't know you would use that against me." He said as he emerged from the bathroom, his hair tossed about. I took my handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he leaned against a wall.

"It was not cheating, and you know it." I grumbled as he leaned down so our eyes would be on equal grounds. His nose was an inch from mine and I could count each one of his eyelashes. I just about became dizzy but I caught myself before I fell.

"Yes it was cheating, since you used my ultimate weakness." He overly stressed 'ultimate' but 'weakness' came out a bit… for a lack of better words, weak.

" Awww, I know what'll cheer you up! Jake and I have been working on something… Rather interesting." I replied and put my forehead against his.

"Oh really, what's that?" he muttered and cleared his throat, making a face as the taste of the opal remained.

"Well… We've noticed how it's been a nuisance to have such an openly stated weakness, as you put it, so we've been developing a spell that will break the… I guess we could call it a curse." Smiling, I saw him visibly perk up at the idea.

"Really?"

"Yup! It's almost done, but the drawback is that instead of eliminating the weakness, it just changes the item that weakens. We can't really do much about the gene, since its predominant and has been with your father since he was changed, but we can transfer it to something else." He groaned.

"Is it something random?"

"Nope. You can change it at will whenever the spell is cast. Jake recommends to re-cast it every three years or so, so it's potent and no one will be able to plan much with the newfound weakness, If it leaks, that is." This is great! I got to help Solomon in the end.

"What if they figure out the weakness?"

"Ah, Solomon, negative as always. All you do is defend the premises as well as you can, while Jake and I re-cast the spell, if we're being attacked." I smile, triumphant at last.

"What will it be changed into at first?" he asked, looking into my eyes.

"That, my friend, is easy. Let's make it… Something in a nuclear bomb or… an isolated element that can't be found outside a lab!" I quickly brainstormed up some ideas as he looked at me, with a look that made me seem almost crazy. "What?"

"If we put it as a nuclear bomb, then if there are some fired, we are going to be fried.." he slowly said, patting my head. "Let's make it something simple, Why not something like argon, or maybe mercury."

"Sure I guess, but first we have to make the spell so that you'll live through the casting. We've tried to make fishes breathe the air with the same spell and some instantly combust." I replied with a shudder.

"That would be bad."

"Oh yea."


End file.
